The Snake in the Grass - Sect. 4.

The Quakers' pretence to a sinless perfection

AFTER having shewed the Quakers' claim to an equality with God, to be part of him, of one soul, being, essence, and person with him, it may seem a going backward, and proving less, to say that they pretend to a sinless perfection: for the blessed angels are free from sin, yet infinitely short of being equal to God. But because our modern Quakers are abated somewhat from the loud blasphemies to which they at first pretended, and now (modest men') are con tent to sit down equal only to angels and apostles, to be free from sin, perfect, and infallible as they ; I will therefore let the reader see their original pretences to this sort of perfection.

I have before quoted Mr. Penn upbraiding the church of England as opposers of perfection,” and ridiculing us for confessing ourselves sinners, and imploring God's mercy. Now hear G. F. in his Great Myst. p. 101; It is the doctrine of devils that preacheth that men shall have sin, and be in a warfare so long as they be on earth; they that pretend coming to God and Christ out of perfection, they be in the error. P. 111. All who come to Christ, they come to perfection. P.231. They attain to perfection in the life of God. P. 271. For who are sanctified have perfect unity, perfect knowledge perfect holiness. P. 281. The life of the saints is Christ, not sinful at all.

William Shewen, (a great Quaker preacher,) in his Treatise concerning Thoughts and Imaginations, printed 1685, p. 25, represents a Quaker as meeker than Moses, stronger than Samson, wiser than So lomon, and more patient than Job; nay, further, harmless and innocent as Christ was. And their great scribe, Thomas Ellwood, in his Answer to George Keith's Narrative, A. D. 1696, p. 202, takes upon him to justify George Whitehead for denying that there is continual need of repentance, upon this ground, that the Quakers are free from all sin, and therefore have not continual need of repentance. And Edw. Burroughs (the mighty pillar of the Quakers, next to the old Fox) determines positively, p. 32. of his works, printed 1672, that God doth not accept of any, where there is any failing, or who doth not fulfil the law, and doth not answer every demand of justice.

I could heap up many more quotations to the same purpose; but these will suffice till answered; and I would not cloy the reader: therefore I go on to the next head, to shew, that the Quakers do not only pretend to a sinless innocency, but to the same degree of inspiration and immediate revelation as was given to the holy prophets and apostles.